Known for the ‘stupid, crazy, ridiculous, funny patterns’ (a 2014 show title) of her paintings, Katherine Bernhardt’s new work at Canada NYC continues to amuse with repeating images of Bart Simpson at his most irreverent. Dropping his shorts and flanked by two giant smoking cigarettes, the day-glo cartoon character is an emblem of provocation and yet hard to take seriously. Bernhardt finds more contrast in each paintings’ combination of street-art channeling spray-painted outlines vs washy acrylic staining that signals considered painterly abstraction. To those who might worry about the seriousness of Bernhardt’s series, the painting’s title applies: ‘Don’t have a cow, man.’ (On view through Feb 25th).
Katherine Bernhardt, Don’t have a cow, man,’ acrylic and spray paint on canvas, 60 x 48 inches, 2022.
Merrily Kerr is an art critic and writer based in New York. For more than 20 years, Merrily has published in international art magazines including Time Out New York, Art on Paper, Flash Art, Art Asia Pacific, Art Review, and Tema Celeste in addition to writing catalogue essays and guest lecturing. Merrily teaches art appreciation at Marymount Manhattan College and has taught for Cooper Union Continuing Education.
For more than a decade Merrily has crafted personalized tours of cultural discovery in New York's galleries and museums for individuals and groups, including corporate tours, collectors, artists, advertising agencies, and student groups from Texas Woman's University, Parsons School of Design, Chicago's Moody Institute, Cooper Union Continuing Education, Hunter College Continuing Education and other institutions. Merrily's tours have been featured in The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Sydney Morning Herald and Philadelphia Magazine.
Merrily is licensed by New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs as a tour guide and is a member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA USA)
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